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1972 Map of Sheep Canyon

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Sheep Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Santa Fe Trail (Approx) traces a diagonal line across the northwestern corner of this landscape, shadowing the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad near Timpas Creek. The terrain is defined by the high, broken ground of the Iron Springs Hills and the deep incisions of Sheep Canyon and Bent Canyon to the south. This area at the border of Otero and Las Animas Counties reveals a sparse ranching economy dependent on subterranean water sources.

Water management is the primary human imprint on the land, evidenced by a network of named wells and windmills such as Mills Well, Lees Windmill, and the Upper Hoffman Windmill. These points, along with Kennedy Ponds and the Rourke Reservoir, represent the vital infrastructure for livestock in a territory characterized by intermittent drainages like Hoe Ranch Arroyo and Tree Arroyo. The map also captures the local transportation network of the early 1970s, including Red Rock Road and a significant Pipeline corridor crossing the high plains.